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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO’S LATIN AMERICAN RECRUITMENT AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES PROGRAM (LARES) ON ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
WHEREAS, the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services program (LARES) is celebrating its 40th anniversary; and
WHEREAS, The LARES was established to assist UIC in the recruitment of Latinos and to provide academic support to increase their chances for success; and
WHEREAS, since then, the program has grown from approximately 100 students to its present enrollment of more than 3300; and
WHEREAS, LARES’s mission is to empower students by providing personal growth and educational opportunities and to prepare leaders who will make individual and collective contributions toward the cultural and social advancement of the Latino community; and
WHEREAS, LARES is a recruitment and academic assistance program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was established to recruit and to provide academic advising, financial aid and educational assistance to Latino students at both the high school and college levels. LARES was primarily designed to assist Latino students who are interested in pursuing higher education and who are in need of guidance and support; and
WHEREAS, in order to fulfill the mission of the program, LARES has developed numerous initiatives that attempt to address the comprehensive needs of students, and through encouragement and support has helped Latino students achieve their academic goals; and
WHEREAS, LARES is the premier Latino academic support program in Illinois and the largest academic support unit on the UIC campus; and
WHEREAS, UIC Latino students are well represented in local and national scholarship programs as well as special opportunity efforts targeted for minority students; and
WHEREAS, UIC Latino students continue to rank number one in the number of Hispanic Scholarship awarded in the Midwest and moreover, Latino graduation rates have steadily increased at UIC over the last few years.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby congratulate the UIC LARES on its 40th anniversary and extends its best wishes for continued excellence in education and research to foster the growth and improvement of our communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this text be spread upon the proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy of this Resolution be presented to the UIC Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services Program.
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